I couldn't believe how lucky I was when this assignment came up. I mean, a safari is truly a trip of a lifetime, which is why so many people dream of doing this for their honeymoon. As Travel Editor at Brides, my job is to check out properties around the world, and judge their honeymoon-worthiness: Are there loads of kids by the pool? Are there couples treatment rooms at the spa? So when my husband, Rob, had a rare two weeks off this summer (rule 1: you really need 10 days to two weeks to do a safari properly) we jumped at the chance to fly far, far away to Africa.

So, how to even begin the planning process? I called in an expert—Elizabeth Gordon from Extraordinary Journeys, a U.S.-based tour operator who specializes in safaris, and even has a honeymoon registry service. Rule 2: You need to book with an experienced tour operator, who can connect the dots of your itinerary together and work with you on budget. I told Elizabeth our priorities (learning about wine, seeing lions and leopards); she gave me feedback on various camps, and what their pluses and minuses were; and the trip began to come together. Here, a photo-diary of our 14-day African adventure.

P.S. If you're super into photography, you'll want to bring a nice camera. I am far from a professional, so believe it or not, I just used my iPhone 4S (the 5 wasn't out yet). The photo quality was incredible, and the "share" factor—uploading immediately to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter—was so awesome.

Day 1

We leave our apartment for JFK to catch our non-stop flight to Johannesburg on South African Airways. Take off is about 11 a.m., and the flight is 14 hours long. But hey, the flight crew was friendly; we got two hearty meals and great South African wines, and I caught up on loads of movies—Hunger Games, The Five Year Engagement—before they came out on DVD.

Day 2

We touch down in Johannesburg the following morning, and fly off to Singita Boulders Lodge via a tiny prop plane. It doesn't get more luxurious than this safari haven, set on 45,000 acres in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve. The 12 "suites" are more like villas, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls and luxe touches like watercolor sets and gratis minibars. We immediately jumped into our private plunge pool! From $3,148, all-inclusive. That evening, the Singita guests are treated to a braii (it's like a BBQ, only when Singita does it, it's quite fancy), and a soul-stirring choir and dance performance by the incredible staff.

Day 3

Wake-up is early—6 a.m.!—since the animals are stirring. Our wonderful guide, Leon, and our tracker, Themba, meet us in the lobby and we set out in search of the big five—that's lions, leopards, elephants, rhino, and buffalo. Score: We see a group of three rhino, so crazy-cool and beyond prehistoric, lumbering by a pond. As we're having our sundowner (that's sunset cocktails, fyi, and you have them every night on safari) in the bush, a lone male hyena walks right past us. To cap off an already over-the-top day, Singita prepares a private wine-tasting class in their spectacular cellar (think close to a thousand bottles, of only premium South African wines) and a three-course meal en-suite.

Day 4

Sad! We have to leave on an afternoon flight for Cape Town. But not before squeezing in another morning game drive, and I'm so glad we do—a female leopard saunters by us in our Land Rover. I grab this ridiculous shot with my iPhone.

After our three-hour flight, we land in Cape Town, and are whisked to the lovely Cape Grace, brilliantly set on the V&A Waterfront. From $650. The views of mile-high Table Mountain, plus the perks—BMW limo service, freshly-shucked oysters for breakfast, are unreal. Rob likes scotch, and the Bascule Bar here has the largest whisky collection in the Southern Hemisphere. After two pours of peaty Lagavulin, it's off to the Signal restaurant upstairs, where Chef Malika van Reenen whips up fresh, hearty dishes with spicy Cape Malay flair, like cumin-crusted ostrich, or toasted-coriander and lemon cured salmon.

Day 5

Sleeping in is a treat, and we feast on eggs Benedict and oysters downstairs at Signal. I'm obsessed with the décor at the Cape Grace, feminine and chic, but not frilly—the library wallpaper is inspired by old maps, and there are loads of cool 18th- and 19th-century antiques displayed throughout, like porcelain plates and armoires. And every room has fresh cut protea flowers!

Speaking of, we head over to 90-acre Kirstenbosch National Botanic Garden, and wander the sloping pathways, beautifully manicured. You'll see locals jogging here, or coming to picnic. Then it's off to the One&Only for a superb massage, using a rungu stick (it's like a hot stone, only better) and a steak dinner at Reuben's. We love talking to the sommelier, Luvo, who gets us excited about South African wines—and he picks out a fabulous Kanonkop pinotage for our meal.

Day 6

We head out for a full-day tour with a driver (Redwood Tours is a great option) to see Bo Kaap, a neighborhood full of colorful houses before hopping the ferry to Robben Island. This is the Alcatraz-like prison where Nelson Mandela was jailed for many years, and the group tour is incredibly moving—it's actually led by a former political prisoner.

After the tour, we ferry back to the waterfront and grab a quick drink at the Cape Grace before dinner at The Roundhouse. The 1786 former guardhouse has stunning views of Camps Bay Beach, and terrific dishes like olive-oil poached salmon trout with radish and ponzu.

Day 7

We hop in a car for the hour and a half drive into wine country. The wineries around Stellanbosch and Franschoek are fab (some require appointments, but they are easy to make) and mostly affordable—tastings cost about $10 each. Two standouts: upscale L'Ormarins, set on an outrageously-beautiful Cape Dutch farm, and Lynx, where the grapes for their rich Shiraz are still hand-pressed. We buy a case of their wine and have it shipped home!

Lunch is at Babylonstoren, a Cape Dutch farm that has been transformed into a chic hotel, with a charcuterie and cheese shop. From $390. We have a feast of warm pears, drizzled with pesto, hand-cut chips, and a roasted cauliflower sandwich drizzled with gorgonzola.

We check into Le Quartier Français, a rose-bordered inn in tiny Franschoek. From $354. The rooms are colorful and warm (love the fireplaces!) but we're here to try the Tasting Room, South Africa's best restaurant. Chef Margot Janse's menu is both innovative (foie gras and cocoa bar with edible silver, anyone?) and hyper-local (a perfectly pink wildebeest loin surrounded by just-picked baby carrots). Stuffed after four hours and five courses, we roll to bed!

Day 8

Early wake-up call (6 a.m.!) and we drive to Cape Town airport for our 9 a.m. flight to Botswana. Home to one of the highest wildlife concentrations in Africa, Botswana also has fabulously romantic camps that cater to couples. We land in Maun, the hub for all transfers into the world-famous Okavango Delta—a 5,791-square-mile maze of waterways, lagoons, and floodplains. Our first stop is Wilderness Safaris' Abu Camp, home to seven resident elephants, all orphaned, rescued from zoos, or born in camp. We actually get to ride them! We feed the group in the late afternoon, as they come back from riding with other guests. After a delicious steak dinner in the main lodge, we head back to our fancy tent, where the staff has drawn a bath in our candelabra-lit copper tub. I'm obsessed with our huge leather sleigh bed (very Ralph Lauren chic) and the vintage-y wood writing desk, where you could practically picture Hemingway writing a novel. From $3,430.

Day 9

Heard hippos honking in the middle of the night—craziness. The sunrise from our deck is incredible, and we're beyond excited to ride with the elephants. We clamber atop Kiti, one of three mamas, and take up the rear as we proceed in a line into the bush. Cathy is the matriarch, and the oldest elephant at 53—she leads the group, which includes an adorable, 400-pound baby named Warona (pictured). She is constantly running up and down the line, flapping her trunk and bumping into the bigger ellies. Our guide, Taps, then takes us out on a game drive to explore Abu's 430,000 acres. There's a group of gorgeous four lions, lazing in the sun. At night, we bump into them again as they're setting out on a hunt. It's crazy spooky to see them out on their prowl for their next meal!

Day 10

Breakfast is scones, meats and cheese—then we glide in a mokoro, or dugout canoe, to meet the herd for one last ride. Rob and I are so sad to leave these majestic, mammoth creatures, and the entire staff at Abu, who lovingly cares for them.

But our next stop is pretty sweet, too: &Beyond Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp (we take another little mini-plane). There are only nine luxurious platform tents (each with its own plunge pool) at this stylish island lodge surrounded by 62,000 acres of reeds, lily pads, and ebony trees. From $1,300. The managers of the camp, Grant and Dimarie, are so lovely and warm, and immediately welcome us. We fuel up on this ridiculous cannelloni—it tastes just like my Italian grandmother used to make—and are blown away by the fact that we're eating this incredible meal, truly in the middle of nowhere.

Day 11

Bed is so comfy, but we've got more game drives to do! Our guides Tepo and Elicious whisk us out on a game drive, and we see a beautiful lioness, stepping through the tawny yellow grass. Yours truly spotted her (very proud of myself), and it was unbelievable how well she camouflaged herself. We then take a mokoro ride through the channels, and our guides surprise us with sundowners set up on hot pink floaties—totally fun. We nosh on biltong (it's like a raw beef jerky) and then dinner is back at camp around a fire.

Day 12

Our last stop on this whirlwind tour is San Camp, a place seemingly dropped from the sky onto Botswana's stark Makgadikgadi salt pans. The landscape has completely changed, from rivers and lagoons to start white, Kalahari desert. From $2,200. The owner, Ralph Bousfeld, is a safari legend—he's even guided Elle McPherson. San has six guest tents, which are like colonial-era time capsules, with teak furniture and four-poster beds. The main tent slash lobby has a cool, Moroccan-inspired lounge area, and tons of fossils and 19th-century maps of Africa on display. We set out with our guide Vundi, and ride ATVs—so much fun!

Day 13

Today we meet the meerkats! They hang out in fields near the camp, in family groups of about 20. They're constantly standing straight up, and looking for predators like eagles. If you sit still, they will climb onto your lap, and basically use you as a shelf so they can scan higher into the sky.

We also see Chapman's Baobab, a monster of a tree—the third largest in Africa. It was actually used as a post office by early explorers and travelers. We look mini standing next to it!

Day 14

Time to go home? Really? After one last meal of eggs and bacon in our room, we board our plane, to connect back to Johannesburg, and then NYC. Sad to leave, but excited to come home to some TV. We missed The Real Housewives, have to say—but their drama doesn't even compare to what's out in the wild.

How to Get There: South African Airways offers non-stop service from New York (JFK) to Johannesburg, the gateway city for all of southern Africa. From there, you can catch connecting flights on to Cape Town, Nelspruit (Kruger National Park), and Maui, the hub for all Botswana safaris. The per-night pricetag on safari covers twice-daily game drives; five meals a day; lovely South African wines; spirits; laundry; and all taxes. Tips are extra. If you love your guides, leave $20 to $30 a day.